Ah, the simple things...

QOTW 7/30

Do you speak your mind?

Absolutely not.

I speak my piece (or my peace) but my mind contains some things which simply aren't worthy of speaking.

I'm cocky and I'm greedy....

And I'm an ungrateful snot sometimes. Really, I am.

I just got done responding to an email sent on to me and I'm feeling dumber than dumb.
I'd like to whap myself, but I'm thinkin' wisepersoninmylife will be HONOURED to do that for me........

Why is it the further I get away from the journey that brought me here, the cockier I get?
You'd think that someone who'd gone the places I've gone, who's experienced the 'stuff' that I've gotten to experience, would hang on to the humility, the gratitude and the simplicity of truth and life with both hands.

But no....I'm a greedy little monger and I wander away from what's good and true and what's really, really simple.
The further I get from those moments of ultimate truth between me and the Big Guy.....the closer I get to being that selfish, self centered, ungrateful snot that I know I can be.
And I'm not pleased.
Nor am I amused with myself.

The Big Guy tosses all sorts of messengers in front of me over and over and over again.
And I can HEAR the message and STILL not move my sorry little rear closer to where I know I need to be.....where I wanna be.......where my heart really is.
It's almost a "yeah, yeah.......that's nice.....g'way you're bothering me" kinda mentality, which just does NOT fit with what I say is true for me.

Yes, I know I'm on this planet today PURELY through grace.
Yes, I know how precious one day in the life of one human being truly is.
Yes, I know how selfish it is to, ONCE AGAIN, take for granted what coulda, and woulda NOT been given to me were it not for love and grace.
It doesn't stop me.
Something needs to stop me.
Better yet...someONE needs to stop me.

Or maybe the lesson is YOU need to stop you, Mel.
Knowing and not doing is worse than not knowing at all.
And I really DO know.
But gosh....how is one suppose to trust that you DO know if YOU'RE NOT ACTING ON IT?!

How are YOU suppose to trust that you know when you're acting like you don't?
Is this a lesson that I really NEED to go back to learn?

Nah.
I get it.
I really do get it.
I warped back into time simply writing the email.....and I really do get it.
I know what well and truly 'matters' today.
And I really need to shut up now and ACT LIKE I GET IT, huh?

......k.........
Gonna go hug himself madly-- and take him out for dinner or kidnap him for a wander around a bookstore with a good cuppa coffee.
And hit a meeting to tell on myself.
Cuz that's what I get to do....that's what works for me........

Argh.

Since I've been a child, I've been in an antagonistic relationship with an important emotional part of myself: my feelings.
I have consistently tried to ignore, repress, or force my feelings away.
I have tried to create unnatural feelings or force away feelings that were present.

I've denied I was angry, when in fact I was furious.
I have told myself there must be something wrong with me for feeling angry, when anger was a reasonable and logical response to the situation.
I have told myself things didn't hurt, when they hurt very much.

I have told myself stories such as "That person didn't mean to hurt me." . . . "He or she doesn't know any better." . . . "I need to be more understanding."
The problem was that I had already been too understanding of the other person and not understanding and compassionate enough with myself.
It has not just been the large feelings I have been at war with; I have been battling the whole emotional aspect of myself.
I have tried to use spiritual energy, mental energy, and even physical exertion to not feel what I need to feel to be healthy and alive.

I didn't succeed at my attempts to control emotions.
Emotional control has been a survival behavior for me.
I can thank that behavior for helping me get through many years and situations where I didn't have any better options.
But I have learned a healthier behavior - accepting my feelings.

We are meant to feel.

We are responsible for our behaviors, but we do not have to control our feelings.
We can let them happen.
We can learn to embrace, enjoy, and experience - feel - the emotional part of ourselves.

Barry Manilow keeps running through my head, thanksverymuch.
Feeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel your feelings......nothing more than feelings....lalalalalalala

*shudder*

(yep......I tossed the book inTO the hallway! LOL)

Yup........what the cup says.......

Okay, okay.......so I'm NOT a morning person.
Strike that.
I'm not a morning person when it's actually morning.
Eight o'clock ceases to be 'morning' and has moved into 'day'.
Five or six.......stay outta my way or really bad things could happen. 'Specially if I've not had that 'elegant sufficiency' of coffee added to my system.

I don't do people before eight in the morning.
Well, I DO do people before eight in the morning......I just don't do them 'well'.


BTW.......This is himself's cup.
G'head and chuckle. He does EVERY time he manages to fill it with coffee.
I manage to chuckle when I steal the cup and fill it.
I'm prone to use it as a silent 'warning'. LOL
Bit passive, but there you have it!

Wanna wager who was using the cup today?

BTW.......'no goobers' on the cup yet simply implies that noone's drank from it yet.
And truly, I'm not sure 'whose cup is it matters' since I'm stealing that coffee cup of his every opportunity I get....or create. LOL

:-)

12:50 a.m.

This morning we woke up to a morphed cicada.

Frankly, I think he was prettier when he was green.

And now...it's time to FREE THE CICADA.....(ya didn't expect less, did ya?).. so he can SING

Warning--BUG!!!!!!

Okay......it shoulda been a done deal to end the day peacefully.
But nooooooooooooooooooo....
I stumbled onto the bug while I was taking a photo of the sunset.

And the brain started going. LOL
(that's not my fault...I'm just MADE this way!)

Yep......I captured the bug about 9:00 p.m.
And then I searched high and low for a jar to put him in.
Yeah, righhhhhtttttt.
There's two of us--the biggest jar we had was an empty pickle jar.
And I'm talking a pickle relish jar. Way too small, dangitall!
Well, there IS the suntea jar........hey..desperate times call for desperate measures....
But ewwwwwwwwwww and ACK!!

Bless himself, who humoured me even though he thought I was wayyyyyyy over the edge.
He suggested I forego the suntea jar ('specially if I intended to ever make suntea in it again!...GOOD PLAN!!!!!!) and go for an old critter cage.
Which I located.
Which is where the bug is.
Which is currently mutated from the beetle looking bug.
See below.

10:40 p.m.

11:05 p.m.

11:20 p.m.

Midnight.

Houston--we have a cicada!!

Ummm......hold on a minute......

There's a cicada in our livingroom?!?!!

What WAS I thinking?!

Day is done......

*happy sigh*
Just another pretty sunset.
The perfect kinda ending to a lazy kinda day.

Yep.....you'd think with a sunset like this, things would wind down rather smoothly, right?

A bit more of the outside followed the lazy day on the patio.
A nice fire. Listening to the crickets and cicada's singing.

*happy sigh*

What a easy going kinda day.
And what a peaceful start to an evening.....

Me.......bored?!

One book read. (yep, on the swing with suntea, of course......)

A few (dozen) ears of corns, shucked. Yummy! Ohhhh.....guess what's for dinner! :-)

And one mini-project---completed.
In the company of flutterbys, no less.
In fact, one sneaked up on me whilest I was painting.
(see above left hand corner.....or.......just skip to below?)

I wasn't the least bit lonely OR bored while himself was gone for four hours doing whatever it is he's doing this afternoon.....

Will that stop me from tossing myself at him and whining about how much I missed him?

NOPE! LOL

Any bets on how successful I'll be at getting him to go with me to that store that had Halloween goodies on the end aisle? :-)

*snickering*
Easy peasy!

In the company of flutterbys and moffs....

I could be doing laundry.

Or there's the carpet that could stand a good vacuum--not to mention the sweetcorn that needs shucking.

Yeah, yeah....

First things first, I say.

Flutterbys, moffs and that good book I wanna finish up.....on the patio, swingin'......

*whapping self on the head* Learn, Mel.....learn!

"Wherever there's a living breathing thing--there's an opportunity for kindness."

'Member that thought from this morning?
Yeah, well......I attempted to share it with himself--cuz I considered it to be relevent to him as well. (nice of me to take note of that, dontchathink? LOL)

Yeah, well......I'm of the clear understanding that the message was for ME.......NOT for him.
He made that abundantly clear.

"Wonderful saying--but I believe that's not quite right. How about...'Wherever there's a living, breathing thing--there's an opportunity for dinner?' or 'lunch'....or...... "

Yeah, yeah......Thanks honey.

Oy, oy, oy....
Live and learn AGAIN Mel.
LIVE and LEARN!

Day Three

CERTAINLY ya'll didn't think I'd pass by the opportunity to spread a bit of kindliness by sharing 'happy sock' moments for three days in a row?!

I'm very certain it was all 'show' and the folks at work truly DID appreciate my efforts.

Moaning, apparently, is a new form of showing one's appreciation.

I can buy that!

I can DO that!!!
ROFL

I'm well and truly convinced that the world is a better place for having oppo socks in it.

MY world is.

*snickering* And EVERYone knows it's all about MEMEME, forgoodnesssakes.

;-)

Opportunities

"Wherever there's a living breathing thing--there's an opportunity for kindness."

Now, Mel.....you KNOW it takes no more effort to be kindly than it takes to be mean.
You even know it somehow mutates into effortless work when you actually DO it.

Be nice.
BE NICE.

.....k.........I'll BE NICE......but I'm STILL wearing the oppo socks! LOL

If it worked once......

It'll work twice.
:-D

And since it worked twice....I'm goin' for three in a row.

Monsters in the closet

Monster in My Closet--

What's that in the closet?
Whatever shall I do?
There's a monster in my closet
Oh, how I wish they knew

They sent me on to bed
And told me to go to sleep
I pulled the covers up o'er my head
But I just had to take a peek

There he was, all large and hairy
With giant glowing eyes
Grownups say there are no monsters
Why tell kids such big lies?............

Everybody sing:

There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It's Green! (Rawwwr Rawwwr)
There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It's Green! (Rawwwr Rawwwr)
There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It's Very Very Green
There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It's Green! (Rawwwr Rawwwr)

There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It Smells! (Pew Pew!)
There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It Smells! (Pew Pew!)
There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It Really Really Smells!
There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It Smells! (Pew Pew!)

There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It Snorts! (Snort Snort!)
There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It Snorts! (Snort Snort!)
There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It Really Really Snorts!
There's A Monster In My ClosetAnd It Snorts! (Snort Snort!)

Hit that key....

"If you're wanting more happiness in your life, choose to be happy."

Don'tcha just love 'duh' moments?

CHOOSE to be happy.

What a novel concept.

*snickering and smirking*

I.........am an evil person.
*hanging head and trying not to smirk*

Yes........'oppo socks'.
And yep......I wore them to work.
ON team meeting day, no-less.....with a few staff members that are a little obsessive/compulsive--call me a little terrorist if you so desire. I'll wear that label proudly. :-D

G'head ...... ask if that decision was deliberate.

OF COURSE it wasn't.........geeze....




(.....k.......LYING! LOL)

Is this where I confess to the plot and take my come-uppin's?

What a mean thing to do, eh?
But alas......I only made two of 'em nutzo.
One of 'em wanted my 'word' that when I worked with them tomorrow that I would NOT be wearing the socks.

I, of course, gave my word.

I will NOT wear these socks tomorrow.
Gosh.....like I'd wear a pair of dirty socks!?

But. (yeah, yeah......you knew it was coming........)
Seeings how I have six (yup......six) socks of the same colours with different patterns--I've got a good three days of mixing 'em up. MORE if I toss 'em in the washer.
Lemme see.......six different socks make how many days of different combinations?

(I've always sucked at math......but I know it's good for at least five working days!) (IF I do laundry, of course......)
That's a work week.

*snickering*
I'm thinking by day three they'll either be immuned to the 'oppo' socks (which means I'm doing them the favor and providing treatment for that obsessive compulsive disorder) OR.......I'll be banned from the unit.

Any bets? LOL

He's hereeeeeeeee..........

Yes, this is a bug.

Ah, but it's not just ANY bug.

It's the bug that means summertime.

I've been waiting for the little boogers to show up.

And they do---every year.

Only this year Mr. Bluejay's got a nest in Mr. Cicada's favorite tree.

I can only hope that Mr. Cicada uses discretion about when to sing......or he'll become Mr. Bluejay's midnight snack.

That would make me sadder than sad.

I'm thinkin' I need to post the rules on the tree for Mr. Bluejay so he's playing 'nice'.

I'll just be happy to have discovered Mr. Cicada making the trek up the tree so he can become all that he is.
He's only waited--what is it--two or three years to get this one chance?

Come outta that shell and SING little bug!!!

What a very smart bug.
He can come outta the hiding spot he's been hanging around underground in for two to three years, make the journey to the tree, break outta his shell and SING for all he's worth all in one evening!

I'm thinkin' I could learn a thing or two from Mr. Cicada, huh?

...who's counting.....

I checked the calendar.

It's a mere twenty two days til we're off for a two week adventure.

And we're under the 100 mark on the countdown for Halloween!!

WOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

NOT that I noticed or got excited or anything--but one of the stores had a small collection of Halloween stuff on an end aisle when I made a run through to grab some 'stuff' we needed yesterday.

Yup....Ghosties and bats.
The 'run through' lasted a bit longer than I anticipated.
What can I say?!

HA!

T-minus NINETY SEVEN DAYS and counting!
:-)

Ten days.....

Gee....thanks, boss......

You'd think a conversation woulda happened before the boss decided to let everyone around the tables know, wouldn'tcha?
Dunno why I'D think a conversation would be necessary. LOL Courtesy, maybe?
(probably more like a heated debate on what a 'bad plan' he'd come up with and 'pick someone else' woulda been the answer on my part.)

No problem.
I can do this.
Even if I don't wanna do it, I'm getting to do it.

He's going away for ten days and I've been "left in charge".

No, no....that's "I've been left in CHARGE?!......what WERE you thinking?!!!"

Do I mind?
Ummmmmm.........YES!
Do I 'feel' competent enough TO be 'in charge' during his absence?
NO!
And my response when he told the administrative team this?

"Yes, thank you--I think I'd like to do that."
(just as soon as I throw up....AFTER I deal with that smirk you failed miserably at hiding...)

*frowning*
I hate when he 'one ups' me.

NOW I'm gonna haffta plot.
*chuckling*
At least I have ten days to come up with something REALLY good to get him back with.

Practice, practice, practice....

Keep practicing new thinking and new behaviors, even when they feel awkward, even when they haven't quite taken yet, even if you don't get it yet.

Sometimes it takes years for a new concept to move from our mind into our heart and soul.

We need to work at it with the same diligence, effort, and repeated practice we applied to the old thinking and behaviors.

We need to force ourselves to do things even when they don't feel natural.

We need to tell ourselves we can-- even when we don't believe what we're saying.

We need to do it, and do it, and do it - day after day, year after year.

It is unreasonable to expect a new way of life to sink in overnight.

We may have to "act as if" for months, years, before new behaviors and new thinking become ingrained and natural.

Even after years, we may find ourselves, in times of stress or duress, reverting to old ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

We may have layers of feelings and thinking which we aren't ready to acknowledge until years later.

That's okay!

When it's time, we will.

Do not give up!

It takes time.

It takes repeated practice.

Time and experience.

Lessons, lessons, and more lessons.

Then, just when we think we've arrived, we find we have more to learn.

That's the joy of it.

We get to keep learning and growing all of our life!

Keep on taking care of yourself, no matter what.

Keep on plugging away at new ways of thinking and behaving, one day at a time.

Keep on loving yourself, even when it doesn't feel natural.

Act as if for as long as necessary, even if that time period feels longer than necessary.

One day, it will happen.

You will wake up, and find that what you've been struggling with and working so hard at and forcing yourself to do, finally feels comfortable.

It has hit our soul.

Then, you go on to learn something new and better.

QOTW 7/24

What 'oldie but goodie' runs through your head when someone says 'oldie but goodie'?


('this morning'....I'm sure the question had that qualifier in there somewhere...)

You've got to give a little,take a little.
And let your poor heart to break a little.
That's the story of.
That's the glory of love.

You've got to laugh a little,cry a little.
Until the clouds roll by a little.
That's the story of.
That's the glory of love.

As long,as there's the two of us.
We,ve got the world and all it's charms.
And when the world is through with us.
We've got each others arms

You've got to win a little,lose a little.
And always have to blues a little.
That's the story of.
That's the glory of love.
That's the story of.
That's the glory of love.

I'm a sappy one, huh? LOL

Magnet worthy....

Just wanted to say thanks for making my trip so much fun.
It really has been a great experience and now that I've been once you won't be able to get rid of me in the future.
I'm so glad I have finally got to see for real all the things I've only looked at in pictures and imagined over the past couple of years.

Mel, it has been fantastic getting to know you--I can see why dad wanted to be here.
The two of you seem so well suited (if a little 'icky'!).
And I'm relieved to see you are keeping him in line. (will overlook shirts as gestures of good will ;-) )

Dad, although I miss you loads, seeing how happy you are here makes me happy.
It's awesome to know you're loved so much (even if it's a tad 'icky'). ;-)
Moving here definitely seems to have been the right thing to do.
Thanks so much! xxoo

Some things get to go on the refridgerator door, held in place by a magnet or two, left to fade with the years, made brilliant by the memories and that place in the heart they claim.

*going to locate a shiney magnet*

Beginnings and endings.....

It was too beautiful of a day to be trapped in a car for over 8 hours. Ah well....it made for a pretty drive to Chicago.
And it was all good--the drive, the conversations, the music himself brought along.
Even the airport was good. We'd electronically checked her in the evening prior--it was just a matter of checking luggage and whizzing through the ticket counter with the passport.
No problem.
We were even early and sat for a while on the curb in the parking lot.

And the security check was pretty swift.
WHY I got teary--dunno.......I just know himself and the other girl got misty eyed and that was all she wrote.

"Geeze......you're not even 'mine' and I'm getting all weepy and sappy and gooshy......"
Himself informed me she was a 'bit' mine....which just made me MORE weepy.
And then she had to agree?!
Ack.....what a messy moment.....

Typically 21-ish (and probably typically anti-'icky') she suggested we just 'go on' so she could keep it together.
I swear it ripped both of their hearts out.
Truthfully......it had a go at ripping at mine, too.

Kinda messy in the Jeep for a bit--but we got it together enough to get on the road. That demanded our attention and helped the both of us move forward.
But gosh........I'm gonna miss that other girl.
She's a keeper.

Even if she can't hold on to her wallet (she lost the darn thing twice during our shopping adventure--which is why I gifted her with a wallet on a chain). Even if she's continually 'taking the Mickey' out of her dad('specially about his 'Hawiian shirts'...LOL). Even if she's messy and eats like no other I've seen(HOW she stays so thin is beyond me)! EVEN if she's a guaranteed one to slop on anything white/white-ish! (I introduced her to the Tide Pencil and she thinks it's THE best thing since white rice) Even if she rolls her eyes and tells us to stop being 'icky'...LOL

Even IF..........she's a keeper.

Beautiful beginnings to the day......equally beautiful endings.

Even IF it all got a bit sloppy and messy....

The other girl's safely in flight as I type.
*sigh*
I'm gonna miss that other girl.....

Oh.
We returned home to a handmade card on our bed. (seems I've given her another 'fun thing' to do)

It made us both weepy all over again.

I'm sure she'll be proud.

Fuzzybutthummermoth

k........that's not his technical, scientific, fancy schmancy name, but that's what we're callin' him......

Yep. DEFINITELY fuzzybutthummermoth!
:-)

Goodbyes....

The other girl will be returned to the airport today.

Last evening we were the recipients of an awesome sunset that none of us could quite capture in picture...most of it was appropriately spent in silence as we sat on the bridge's railing and watched a raccoon wander about on the creek's edge.

Today, we'll drive back to O'Hare--luggage stuffed to bursting with new clothes, nine pairs of shoes, packages of Oreo's and a couple boxes of Twinkies.

And we'll all be a little sad.

But she'll be back.....she promised.

TFTD.......

Stop trying so hard to make it happen.

Stop doing so much, if doing so much is wearing you out or not achieving the desired results.

Stop thinking so much and so hard about it.

Stop worrying so about it.

Stop trying to force, to manipulate, to coerce, or to make it happen.

We can take positive action to help things happen.

We can do our part.

But many of us do much more than our part.

We overstep the boundaries from caring and doing our part into controlling, caretaking, and coercing.

Controlling is self-defeating.

It doesn't work.

By overextending ourselves to make something happen, we may actually be stopping it from happening.

Do your part in relaxed, peaceful harmony.

Then let it go.

Just let it go.

Force yourself to let it go, if necessary.

"Act as if."

Put as much energy into letting go as you have into trying to control.

It may not happen.

It may not happen the way we wanted it to and hoped it would.

But our controlling wouldn't have made it happen either.

Learn to let things happen because that's what they'll do anyway.

*shaking head*

There are a few 'expectations' for the critters who seek refuge (and mass quanities of specially bought critter food) in the backyard sanctuary.

They're not 'over the top' expectations......it's not like I expect them to leave me thank you notes and send me holiday cards.
It's simple compliance I ask for.

1. BE NICE.
   
2. Eat your own, designated food, please.


3. There will be NO eating of each other in the sanctuary......period.


4. And there's be no.....ummmm...there'll be none of THAT in the sanctuary. Do that in the privacy of your own nest/burrow, etc....

Yeah, well....a couple or mourning doves decided to break the rule.
My answer to rule breaking is simple (cuz I believe in the simple, dontchaknow).
I yell and make lots of noise.
On occasion, I toss 'things' in the general direction of the rule breaking critter in hopes of altering their behavior.
Yeah, yeah......behavior mod makes sense to me. LOL

The mourning doves did not respond to a simple yell--so off went the sandal thingy and I flipped it in their general direction.

GOOD grief......you'da thought I'd done something heinous.
The Brit and the other girl were acting mortified that I'd disallow a 'natural' act in the backyard.
*rolling eyes*

G'on.....there's a time and place.
And it's NOT in the backyard with me watching.
Sheeeeshhh...
In my world, girl birdies lay eggs and boy birdies come along and fertilize them.
The same goes for bunnies, thankyouverymuch.

The other girl thought she was gonna set the record straight and informed me that bunnies don't lay eggs.

HA..... Easter Bunny....eggs...don't play ME for dumb! Pffffffftttt!

I took (what they felt was) my come-uppin's (boy have THEY got a lot to learn about reproduction of critters! Eggs, I tell ya.......none of that funny stuff they've been brainwashed to believe!!), I removed myself long enough make coffee for the whole lot of us.....(the ungrateful boogers) and came back to........ummmmmmm.......sidewalk art?

First of all, that's 'yee haW' not 'yee haa'.....himself tells me us 'yanks' never get the spelling right. LOL
Riiiiiiiggggghhhhhhhttttttttt...like 'yee haw' is a part of the British culture/language?

And the OTHER girl (who drew the above)........is now banished from use of sidewalk chalk.....FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE!

Five cents a whine

I made a 'whine can' for work yesterday. "Five cents a whine"......close to 'ten cents a dance', dontchathink? That's what I was singing all day yesterday at the worksite.
I left the can for the weekend.......I wanna see how much money is in that thing come Monday.
If there's not more than the seventy cents I had to cough up in that can I'm calling 'em all big fibbers!!

Ah.....but it was great morning for coffee on the patio this morning....with visitors no less.
The silent kind.
AND the noisy kind.

I'd say I prefer the silent kind.......but apparently I 'needed' some of the noise I was graced with this morning. (shoulda known from the 'whine can' alone...duh........)
Apparently I needed the noise to appreciate the silence in the wait.

Sometime's noise is required.
I'm a stubborn person.....which equates to 'determined' when I'm using it to the good.
But I suck at the 'wait', even when I KNOW it's the right thing to do.

I could learn a thing or two from the company I kept this morning......the noisy one and the silent flutterbys.
"All things happen in their OWN time....not Mel's time."

Yeah, yeah....but 'being still' while I'm flitting about making the most of what's in front of me WHILE I wait isn't one of my stronger assets.
And I can soooooooo enjoy a good whine.....

I'm gonna blame the noisy wisepersoninmylife. After all, he taught me all sorts of wonderful things.

Okay, okay......
I'm gonna make another pot of coffee and go enjoy the silent company.
And I'm NOT gonna whine.

I'm told this morning's coffee cost me roughly $2.35.
Geeze...What a big whiner I am. LOL
AND I expect I'll see that tab that I told him to put it on.

Thanks, reading fairy.

Being Is Enough

We are not always clear about what we are experiencing, or why.

In the midst of grief, transition, transformation, learning, healing, or discipline - it's difficult to have perspective.

That's because we have not learned the lesson yet.

We are in the midst of it.

The gift of clarity has not yet arrived.

Our need to control can manifest itself as a need to know exactly what's going on.

We cannot always know.

Sometimes, we need to let ourselves be and trust that clarity will come later, in retrospect.

If we are confused, that is what we are supposed to be.

The confusion is temporary.

We shall see.

The lesson, the purpose, shall reveal itself - in time, in its own time.

It will all make perfect sense - later.
Patience.
Being is enough.

Now this.......

THIS is my idea of a fun time.

Oh, g'head and laugh.

Gimme the bunny competition, the goats and the races..... THIS is the stuff I can handle.

Welcome to smalltown Iowa, huh?
;-)

But oh my......what a nice evening.
A bit of barbeque.
A bit of a fire going.

And a whole lotta chuckling.

Oh....and the Brit and the other girl had a bit of a fight this afternoon after the races.

Water fight, that is....before the barbeque, before the fire.

She mighta got him first, but I'm clear had she remembered the garden hose was on this side of the patio, she mighta thought twice about WHERE she started the battle with a measley bottle of water if her intent was to emerge the victor.

BTW........I stayed dry!

*snickering*

Okay, okay..........so I handed her the bottle of water.

:-)

Another TFTD

Trying excessively to make a point with another may mean that we have not yet made that point with ourselves.
Once we make that point with ourselves, once we understand, we will know what to do.
The issue is not about others understanding and taking us seriously.
The issue is not about others believing we're good and good enough.
The issue is not about others seeing and believing how responsible or loving or competent we are.
The issue is not about whether others realize how deeply we are feeling a particular feeling.
We are the ones that need to see the light.